Princess Anne and her late father, Prince Philip, at the center of attention. Viral reports suggest that Anne has finally revealed the “real reason” Philip supposedly did not live with Queen Elizabeth II.
But the historical record tells a more complicated story.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married for more than 73 years, from 1947 until Philip’s death in 2021. The Royal Family’s official history describes their marriage as a partnership in which Philip provided extensive personal and practical support to the Queen throughout her reign.
Their early married life also contradicts the idea that they simply lived apart. From 1949 to 1951, Elizabeth and Philip lived together in Malta while Philip served as a naval officer. They returned to Britain shortly before Elizabeth became Queen following the death of her father, George VI, in 1952.
As the decades passed, however, royal duties and Philip’s retirement meant that the couple sometimes spent periods in different locations. Philip eventually retired from public duties in 2017, while Elizabeth continued working as monarch. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple famously spent extended time together at Windsor Castle.
The separate-bedroom stories surrounding the Queen and Philip have also generated decades of speculation. Having separate bedrooms or private spaces, however, is not evidence of a broken marriage.
Indeed, the Queen publicly described Philip as her “strength and stay,” while official royal records document the enormous number of engagements he undertook in support of her reign.
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